NEWS RELEASE
ONTARIO PROVINCIAL POLICE
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TOWN OF NEW TECUMSETH, ADJALA-TOSORONTIO & ESSA TOWNSHIPS – The Nottawasaga Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) would like to take the time to remind our community members to protect their "Digital Citizenship."
The way cybercriminals exploit technology is constantly evolving. The following are technology tips to reduce your vulnerability:
1. EDUCATE YOURSELF - Technology experts say we place too much trust in software and technology companies when it comes to protecting our privacy and personal information. Continually educate yourself about the devices and software you use and how cybercriminals exploit technology.
2. PASSWORD MANAGEMENT - Change your passwords regularly, choose strong passwords, and keep them private. Do not use "autofill" or "auto-remember" when it comes to your passwords. Always type in the password yourself.
3. SOFTWARE UPDATES - Keep all of your software and your operating systems up-to-date. Software updates often contain security updates to reduce the risk of cyber vulnerabilities. Out-of-date software can put you at risk of security vulnerabilities that cybercriminals can exploit
4. ENABLE TWO-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION (2FA) - Enable two-factor authentication on all the accounts/apps you can. It means that even if someone should get hold of your username and password, that person still can't access your account-they still need an extra code (typically sent to your phone).
5. DEDICATED SECURITY KEY - A dedicated security key is a Bluetooth enable dongle that performs the duty of two-factor authentication. Whereas texted codes can be intercepted by determined hackers, a 2FA dongle is something physical you have on your person. Someone would have to know your username and password and steal your security key device (Dongle), in order to gain access to your account on a computer you haven't logged into before.
6. AVOID UNSECURED (free) Wi-Fi NETWORKS - Never use unsecured free Wi-Fi to access social media and banking apps. Doing so puts your sensitive personal information at risk to hacking by cybercriminals. If you have no choice but to use unsecured Wi-Fi networks (travel, etc.), consider purchasing a Virtual Private Network (VPN), which encrypts your data.
7. REVIEW APP/SOFTWARE SECURITY SETTINGS - Security settings control access to your personal information. Things like geotagging of photographs and permissions for Apps to share or exchange your personal information are controlled under the "settings" tab in the software. Review all of your software and Apps to ensure you are comfortable with what information/data is being collected and shared.
8. PROTECT PASSWORD RESETS - Cybercriminals use password resets as a means to gain access to your accounts/apps. Make sure your accounts/Apps are set up requiring "personal information to reset". Make sure you have strong secret questions for your password reset verification.
9. BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT WHAT YOU SHARE - Give careful consideration to how much personal information you post/share on social networks. Cybercriminals can easily gain access to a large amount of personal information and use it to commit a number of criminal offences. Cybercriminals use this information to target people for various scams using social engineering. Educate yourself on the vulnerabilities of cybercriminals gaining access to your information.
10. ON-LINE BANKING - Make sure you are logged in to your financial institutions secure website. Check the address in the browser to make sure it is the correct website. Ensure you can see the small lock symbol in the browser confirming you are on a secure site. To ensure you don't have malware/spyware operating in the background, only have one web browser window open when you are doing your on-line banking.
11. DISPOSAL OF OLD DEVICES - Old phones/devices contain a wealth of information for cybercriminals. Educate yourself on security safeguards before you decide how to dispose of your old device.
12. REMOTE WIPING OF YOUR DEVICE - Know how to utilize/implement a remote wipe of your device. Remote wipe is a security feature that allows a network administrator or device owner to send a command that deletes data to a computing device. It is primarily used to erase data on a device that has been lost or stolen so that if the device falls into the wrong hands, the data won't be compromised.
13. PIN CODE PROTECTION - Ensure your device has the screen lock feature enabled. If you leave your device somewhere unattended, it will then lock the screen after the designated amount of time. You can set up a screen lock to help secure your phone or tablet. Each time you turn on your device or wake up the screen, you'll be asked to unlock your device, usually with a PIN, finger pattern, or password. On some devices, you can unlock with your fingerprint. PINs and passwords are generally considered more secure than finger patterns.
14. DELETE UNUSED APPS AND ACCOUNTS - Routinely review your various Apps and accounts to determine if you are still using them. Delete/close any unused Apps and accounts. Deleting these items reduces your vulnerability to personal information getting into the hands of cybercriminals.
15. REVIEW ACCOUNT ACTIVITY - It has always been good practice to regularly review financial account activity to ensure your account has not been compromised. This same practice should be utilized with social media accounts to ensure no one has had unauthorized access to your personal information.
Visit www.GetCyberSafe.gc.ca, which is a Government of Canada website containing excellent tips and information on how to protect you from on-line vulnerabilities.
Visit www.antifraudcentre.ca to stay informed on current trends relating to mass marketing frauds/scams, and check out The Little Black Book of Scams.
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